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What does kratom do to your body? UNMC addiction expert explains

Iowa officials are considering whether kratom should be banned or regulated, raising questions about the drug and its effects.

What does kratom do to your body? UNMC addiction expert explains

Iowa officials are considering whether kratom should be banned or regulated, raising questions about the drug and its effects.

Kratom is under the microscope in Iowa as the governor and lawmakers consider whether the drug should be banned or regulated.

READ MORE: Fremont County, Iowa discusses possible action on kratom

As that debate continues, an addiction expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is explaining what kratom actually does to the body.

Director of Addiction Medicine Dr. Kenneth Zoucha says kratom comes from a plant related to coffee and has been used in Southeast Asia for centuries. Its effects can vary depending on how much a person takes.

At lower doses, kratom can act as a stimulant. At higher doses, Zoucha says it can have opioid and sedative effects because its active chemicals stimulate opioid receptors in the brain.

That can lead to dependence. People who regularly use kratom can experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop, including diarrhea, nausea, sweating, anxiety and depression.

Zoucha also warns about mixing kratom with other substances that cause sedation, including alcohol and opioids. He says those combinations can slow or stop breathing and increase the risk of a fatal overdose.

He says people should not rely on kratom to treat pain, anxiety or other conditions because proven medical treatments are available.

Zoucha says doctors are seeing more patients seeking help to stop using kratom, while poison control calls and emergency room visits involving the drug are also increasing nationwide.

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